Tractor cultivator



Dec. 15, 1942. zlNK T AL 2,304,869

TRACTOR CULTIVATOR Filed July 10, 19:59 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 William L. Zia

D vron Tflao'land INVENTORd' NQL PR 5, v v. L. ZINK ET AL- 2;30.4,8f69 I TRACTOR CULTIVATOR Filed July (10. 1939 5 Sheets-She; 2

William L Zmk lyron'IjAadd/IJ INVENTORJ" ATTORNEY.

Dec. 15, 1942. w. L. zlNK ETAL V 2,304,369.

TRACTOR'CULTIVATOR I Filed July 10, 1939 ssheets-sheet s William. L. Zia k A TORNEY.

2a; W .yron-'1'.' Aad'land INVENTORd' Deg. 15, 1942.

w. L. ZINK ET AL 2,304,869

TRACTOR CULTIVATOR Filed July 10, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 William L. Ziflk. I 13 A .biyron THasland I I INVENTORJ Patented Dec. 15, 1942 PATENT OFFICE 2,304,869: I TRACTOR CULTIVATOR I William L. Zink, Plano, and Byron T. Aasland, Kankakee, Ill., assignors to Sears, Roebuck and 00., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of New York Application July 10, 1939, Serial No. 283, 5l 8 9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to agricultural implements and more particularly to tractor-cultivators wherein the cultivator structure is adapted for being attached to the tractor and 'for having ground working tools such as discs,

sweeps, shovels, and the like, connected therewith for working the ground.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a tractor cultivator having improved and novel attachment structures and means for connecting the attachment structures with the front and rear of the tractor, which are simple in construction and adapted for withstanding the maximum strains and stresses which may be imposed on the structures result-.

ing from the cultivating operations, and which may be quickly and easily attached to or detached from the tractor. 7

Another important object of this invention is to provide a tractor cultivator having improved and novel means for operatively connecting cultivator rigs positioned on opposite sides of the tractor at the front thereof with cultivator rigs attached to the rear of the tractor whereby all of the rigs may be actuated simultaneously for being moved toward or away from the ground and whereby the sets of cultivating rigs positioned on opposite sides of the tractor and at the rear of the tractor may be adjustably positioned relatively to each other by the operator ,while sitting in the drivers seat on the tractor.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tractor cultivator having improved-and novel means whereby all of the cultivating rigs may be quickly and easily lifted or lowered manually 1..

relatively to the ground and locked in their uppermost and lowermost positions by the operator while sitting in the drivers seat of the tractor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cultivator attachment structure for tractors having novel means whereby the spacing of the cultivator rigs may be readily ,varied for adapt iI-g the ground working tools carried thereby to the spacing of the rows to be cultivated.

A further important object of this-invention also is the provision of a cultivator-attachment structure for tractors wherein the cultivator rigs may be lifted and lowered either manually or by power means.

Otlz-r objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tractor showing the cultivator-attachment structure connected Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 33 of Figure 2;.

Fi ure 4 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Figure 3, a fragmentary portion of the tractor being shown in section; v

Figure 5 is an enlargediragmentary side elevation of the structure connected to the front of the tractor;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 5 Figure 7 isan end elevation of a partot the structure shown in Figure 5, a portion being shown in section as taken along-the line .1-1

of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional detail view taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 2;

Figure 9 is a top plan view 01' the structure shown in Figure 8; s

Figure 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional detail viewtaken along the line 10-40 of Figure 2;

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional detail view taken along the line H-| I of Figure 10;

-Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the structure connected to the rear of the tractor;

Figure 13 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 2;

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view taken a frame H and a rear axle housing 12 in which is disposed the power driven axle I3. The front of the tractor is mounted on the front wheels I and the rear axle is mounted on rear Wheels 15 by means of which the tractor is driven.

As shown in the drawings, a pair of tubular" supporting bars 16, substantiallysquare in crosssection, is disposed on opposite 'sides of the trac tor and extends outwardly from the-frame I l of.

' As shown in the drawings, a plurality of tool or implement supporting beams 55, similar to those hereinbefore described in connection with the front of the tractor, rear supporting bar 4| nected to bracketmembers 56 which in turn are connected to the rear supporting 'bar' 4|. As shown in Figures and 11, each of the bracket members 56 comprises'a, pair of plates 51 provided with aligned openings therethrough for receiving the supporting bar 4| and spaced apart below the supporting bar for receiving therebetween the portion of the implement beam 55 pivotally connected therewith;-

The portions of the plate members 5.1 extending above the supporting bar 4| are provided with arcuate formations 56 for receiving a' bolt 59 therebetween which engages washer members 66 positioned'at the ends of the plates for fixedly retaining the bracket plate members 51 in gripping engagement with the supporting bar 4!; By loosening the bolts 5!, the bracket members may be moved along the bar are positioned below the\ and are pivotally con- 1 implement beams in 4| for properly positioning the rear implement beams to the rows of plants to be cultivated. A plurality of actuating arms 6| are fixedly connected with the rear rocker shaft .42, and are operatively connected with the implement beams 55 pivotally carried by the supporting bar 4|, The actuating arms 6| and the structure for connecting the arms to the rear rocker shaft 42 and for operatively connecting the arms 6| to the implement carrying beams 55 are g and are adapted for .lever arm 12. Asbest similar to those structures hereinafter described in connection with the rocker shafts 25 and the implement carrying beams 26 associated with the front of the tractor, and, consequently, no further description of this structure is believed to be necessary.

The structure for operatlvely connecting the rear rocker shaft 42 with the front rocker shaft 25 in order that both rocker shafts may be actuated at the same time for raising o'r lowering all of the implement beams 26 and and thetools' connected therewith,

to the rear rocker shaft 42, as best shown in Figures 1, 5, and 14. A lever arm 64 is nected to the rear rocker shaft arm 63 and'is also pivotally connected at an'intermediate' point I thereof to a plate member having the top edge thereof provided with teeth for forming a rack 66. A tubular rod 61 has one end pivotally connected to the front rocker arm 62 and the other end fixedly'connected to the rack plate 65 for I retaining the fixed relative lever arm 64 and the plate 65 in positions. A handle 68 is pivotally connected with the lever arm 64 and operatively' for adjustably 25 and the implement beams 26 connected therewith with respect to and independently of the simultaneously, comprises pivotally conpositioning the front rocker'shaft rear rocker shaft each of the implement beams connected to the carried thereby in I 3 n and the independent beams 55 associated therewith. It will also be noted that adjustably positioned relatively to'its respective actuatingarmsfl or 6| by turning the threaded The mechanism for lifting or lowering the 1m,

plement beams 26 and 55 and for retaining the their lifted or lowered posishaft 42. An actuating lever 12 has one end pivto the arm Ill and is operatively otally connected arm H by means of a link 13 which has one end The lever supporting arm 10 and the lever 12' are provided witha pair of projecting lugs 14 and 15, respectively, which are positioned for engagement .withthelink I3 the movementof the shown in Figures 1, 8, and 9 a spring 16 is provided which has one end connected to an eye bolt 16" which in turn is adjusta-biy secured to an arm fixedly connected to the axle housing bracket 49, and the other end indirectly'connected to an arm 18 which is fixedly secured or welded to the rear rocker shaft 42. When the implement beams 26 and 55. ar in the lowered positions whereby the. tools mounted thereon may work the ground, the actuating lever 12 is in the position shown in Figure 15, so that the lug 15 thereof engages the link 13. It will be noted that when the implement beams 26 and 55 are disposed in their lowermost positions, thelever I2 is positioned so'that the pivotal axis. of the link I3 with the lever arm 72 is disposed slightly below a straight line extending through the axes of the 1|, in which position the lever 72 is retained by the lug 75 on the lever arm 12' being in engagement with the link 13. The ten-. sion of the spring 76 associated with the rocker shaft 42 tends to retain the actuating lever 12 in the position above referred to, and, consequently, retains the implement beams and the implements their lowermost positions.

swung upwardly tion shown in Figure 16,

link 73 engages the projecting lug 74 connected tothe stationary arm 10. As the actuating lever and 55 are retained in their elevated positions byv reason of the lever arm when the link '13 is M on the upright arm 15, that the pivotal axis of the lever arm 72 with the upright arm will. be

72 being, positioned 2s and 55 may be plate 50 to therespective axle connected to the lever v the fixed arm), and the link lever is decreased by the in engagement with the lug bar 15.

connected to the end of of the spring member is bent outwardly so that when the head of the pivot pin and the collar 65 the front rocker shafts 25 l of" the implement beams may be raised or lowered and retained in their uppermost or lowermost positions by the lever arm 12 and that the lever arm 12 may be quickly and easily operated by the driver while sitting in the seat of the tractor;

Referring specifically to the details. of the structure hereinbefore described, it will be noted that the bracket 23 connected to the front of the tractor, as best shown in Figure 5, and to which the rods 20 are attached, is provided with the s lotted'openings 22 in the end thereof in order that the rods 28 may be readily attached to or detached from the bracket 23.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, each of the plates l'l associated with the front supportingjbars l6 and the front rocker shafts 25 is connected to the .tractor frame by means of the bolts l8 which are positioned on opposite sides of the respective supportingbar's. The platev I1 is provided with a horizontal slotted opening 19 for receiving the rear bolt I8 positioned back of the supporting bar 16, and a vertical slotted opening 8|! continuous. with the lower edge of the plate I! for receiving the front bolt l8. positioned in front of the supporting This arrangement of the slotted openings 18 and 80 in the plate 11 for receiving the fastening bolts l8 causes the load on the bolts to be so carried as toprevent any tendency ofthe bolts to become loose or to prevent 7 heavy loads which I any shifting of the late H as a result of the may be transmitted thereto; It willbe noted, however, that this arrangement of the slotted openings in the plate provides for-the plates being readily attached to or detached from the tractor frame. v

As shown in Figures 5 and 7 of the drawings, each of the arms 62 fixedly secured to the front rocker shafts 25 and with which the tubular rods 61 are pivotally connected, comprises the primary arm 62 and an auxiliary arm 8i which is secured to the primary arm 62 by bolts and has a portion thereof spaced from the primary arm 62 for receiving the tubular rod 61 therebetween.

The primary arm 62 and the auxiliary arm 8i are provided with aligned slotted openings in the .top thereof for receiving a pivot pin 82 fixedly the rod 61. The pivot pin 82 comprises an enlarged head portion 83, and a reduced shank 84 which extends through an opening in the rod 61 and on which a collar 85 is disposed in engagement with the opposite side of the rod 61. The collar'85 is retained on the reduced shank of the pivot pin by means of a headed end portion 86. The head of the pivot pin 82 and the collar 85 associated therewith are preferably of the same diameter and are receivable in the aligned slotted openings in the primary arm 62 and the auxiliary arm 8|.

The pivot pin 82 is retained in the slotted open-,

ings by means of a flat spring!" which is secured 'to'the primary arm 62 by the bolts which secure the auxiliary arm 8| to the primary arm, and is provided with an opening therein for receiving the head portion 83 of the pivot pin. The top associated therewith are being movedinto the aligned slotted openings, the spring member will be forced outwardly until the head 83 of the pin 82, and collar 85, are seated in theslots in'the primary arm, and auxiliary arms, respectively, at which time the. head 83.of the pin 8211s in registration-with the opening in the spring arm,

and the spring arm snaps back to the position shown in Figure 7c 1 a When it is desired to disconnect the rod 61 from the arm 62,the spring 81 is merely forced As shown in Figure 12 of thedrawings, an arm 98 is fixedly connected to therear rocker shaft f 42 and is ositioned adjacent one of the end plates 43 connected to the rear supporting bar The arm therein adapted for registration with anopening in the end plate 43 when the implement sup:

porting arms 55 are disposed in their raised positions whereby 'a retaining pin 9| may be inserted T in thealigned openings. Thisconstruction supplements the action of the hooks 89 in connection with the arms 62 secured to the front rocker shafts 25 for relieving the load on the rear rocker shaft 42 resultingv from the implement supporting arms 55 and 26 and the implements carried thereby being out of engagement with the ground. p 7

If it is desirable to provide power means for actuating the front and rear rocker shafts whereby the implement supporting arms may be actu-,

ated for moving the implements intoand out of engagement withthe ground, the actuating lever 12 and the spring 16 together with-the! several parts for operatively connecting these A. members with the rocker shaft 42*may be Tee."

moved, except the arm -,I8- fixedly connectedwith the rear rocker shaft 42, to which the spring 16,

is connected, i v

In lieu'of the mechanismfor' manually operating the rocker shafts, apowermechanism may be provided such asa hydraulic lift apparatus. As shown in Figure 8 a hydraulic lift apparatusv which may be employed comprises a cylinder 62- having a plunger provided with a piston rod 93, the piston rod 93 being the arm 18 connected to therear rocker shaft 42, with which the spring was, formerly opera atively associated. The hydraulic power lift ap-. paratus is operable'fromthedriversseatof the tractor for extending andretracting the plunger.

r0d,93,.the plunger rod 93; when extendedv being adapted for lifting the implement beams 26 and 55 and retainingthe implements carried thereby out of engagementwith the ground, and when retracted, for lowering and retaining the implements in engagement with the ground.

Thus it will be seen that the mechanismby means of which the implements are positioned w relatively to the ground, maybe actuated and controlled by either manual orpower means.

As best shown in Figures 8 and 9, whenthe (Fig. 2)- fixedly connected to the 90 is provided with an opening pivotallyconnected to f t l hanisx er sha t 25 an appended claims.

We claim: 1. In an agricultural tion with a tractor of nected with the tractor cultivator rigs and a rear rockshaft operatively connected with the rear cultivator rigs for lifting or lowering fixedly connected to the rear rock shaft, member, a link having one end pivotally con- .nected to the front rock shaft arm and the other end fixedly connected to the rack member, and a latch lever pivotaliy connected to the rear rock shaft arm and to the link and adapted for looking engagement in different positions with the rack member for adjustably positioning the front cultivator rigs independently of and relatively to the rear cultivator rigs.

2. In an agricultural implement, the combination with a tractor of attachment means connected with the tractor comprising a frame beam disposed at a side of the tractor and extending outwardly therefrom in a substantially horizontal position, plate members connected to the inner and outer ends of the frame beam, the inner plate member being adapted for being fixedly and detachably connected to the tractor for sup- S actuating saidzwrock -shaftij 3.- ,Intan-agriculturallimplemen the o flak tivator rig.

5. In an agricultural implement, the combinaa horizontal slotted openingcontinuous with the rear edge thereof and a vertical slotted opening continuous with the lower edge thereof, anchor bolts connectedto the tractor and receivable in the slotted openings for detachably connecting the frame beam to the tractor, an auxiliary bracket fixedly connected with the tractor and provided with a slotted opening therein contin- 75 uous with an end thereof,a brace member fixedly V connectedto the outer 1 r -'bers, a rack member; a to "one of the arms and 'rack. member, and'fa latch lever pivotally' connected tothe otheriar'mgand toth'elinh-and V v engagementindiflerent positions; with the rackmembe'r 'foradjustably posiindepen'dentlyof and rela-- tively-totheother-ri; I t '7. -In an-agricultural implement, the combinailiary bracket for being fixedly and detachably connected therewith, 8';

' sconnectedto'the frame beam and swingable toward andaway from the can with gas tractor;

armsjflledlyconnected to the actuating memi pted f or locking tioning Toneof the rigs tion witna tractor; of attachment means con-.

nected with the tractor, comprising cultivator,

rigs movable toward and away from the ground,

} a rock shaft operatively'connected with each rig ior-liiting and lowering shafts are rotated; arms'flxedly connected to the rock shafts, a rack member,v a link pivotally connected to one of the arms and fixedly connected I v to; the rack member, and a latch lever plvotally connected to the other arm and toethe link and adapted for locking engagement in different positions with the rack jmember'for adiustably positioning each rig independently of andreiatively to the other rig.

cultivator rig= hingedlyw en'd of theframe beam and receivablein the slotted opening in theaux-ii s rock-shaft and operatively "connected to the rig" I for" lifting and lowering therig: in responseitof i V nected with the tractorcomprising a tram m link pivotally connected Vfixediyconnected to the A the rigs :when the rock shaft and operativelyrconnectedttothe. cultiiato arm for actuating said rockjshaftandlii'tihg 'tion with a" tractor; of attachment means-cone nectedwith. the tractor,i-comprising a frame disposed a at* a side, not the, tractor and extendih ends of the beam ber horizontally andftransuersely nosition fof said -memher for ;clamping said position,i{sha1t-. supporting members t}! ly connected to the; ends of -the;;trame. meinber relatively to the groundiwhen therock snug is. In an agricultural im ement, the am ng outwardly therefrom, means i for connecting; the to the tractor, a rock'jgshaf-t} rotatably fcarried' bys'the gends 'offsaid yam; cultivator 'rig f hinged ly connected: .td'the frain'e t beam; and swingable; toward tr m ay, from the flix'e'diy' connected wine ground, actuating "means corresponding actuation i oi'gthe yrocb meansfor actuating said rock shatt' 1 V 9,1: "*anf agrijcult l' implement};the';comhin tion with a tractor ct attachment means the re her-me net-c i clamping means!!! carried by the f tractor and includingrelative movable laws clampingly" enlfll ing, o positeisme;

'said inenib'en'in extending rearwardlylwlth respect to the tractor a rock shaft rotatabl ykmounted'on'the shatt*supporting members .rfand positioned [substantially ijfl parallel to the frame member, cultivati lil I I hingedly connected tov thegirame'imemberfand' swingable toward and awayffromthe ground actuating arms iixedly connected to the rigs for lifting or lowering"; the? cultiyator -ri actuated, an ar'm' 'flxediy connectedtoftli rock shaft, and means operatively connecteqtojsii lowering the cultivatorfrig's." v 

